Faster implicit motor sequence learning of new sequences compatible in terms of movement transitions

Abstract New information that is compatible with pre-existing knowledge can be learned faster. Such schema memory effect has been reported in declarative memory and in explicit motor sequence learning (MSL). Here, we investigated if sequences of key presses that were compatible to previously trained...

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Main Authors: Susanne Dyck, Christian Klaes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:npj Science of Learning
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00296-4
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author Susanne Dyck
Christian Klaes
author_facet Susanne Dyck
Christian Klaes
author_sort Susanne Dyck
collection DOAJ
description Abstract New information that is compatible with pre-existing knowledge can be learned faster. Such schema memory effect has been reported in declarative memory and in explicit motor sequence learning (MSL). Here, we investigated if sequences of key presses that were compatible to previously trained ones, could be learned faster in an implicit MSL task. Participants trained a motor sequence before switching to a completely new sequence, to a compatible sequence with high overlap in ordinal positions, or to an incompatible sequence with low overlap, while the compatible and incompatible sequences had the same overlap in movement transitions. We observed accelerated learning in the Compatible and Incompatible groups compared to the New group, if participants trained for 3 sessions before switching to the altered sequence. Overall, our study suggests facilitative learning of implicit motor sequences that are compatible in movement transitions, if the previous sequence has been trained extensively.
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publisher Nature Portfolio
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spelling doaj-art-5a1547164d7f486dab52648cabfcd23c2025-01-19T12:10:58ZengNature Portfolionpj Science of Learning2056-79362025-01-0110111310.1038/s41539-025-00296-4Faster implicit motor sequence learning of new sequences compatible in terms of movement transitionsSusanne Dyck0Christian Klaes1Department of Neurotechnology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University BochumDepartment of Neurotechnology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University BochumAbstract New information that is compatible with pre-existing knowledge can be learned faster. Such schema memory effect has been reported in declarative memory and in explicit motor sequence learning (MSL). Here, we investigated if sequences of key presses that were compatible to previously trained ones, could be learned faster in an implicit MSL task. Participants trained a motor sequence before switching to a completely new sequence, to a compatible sequence with high overlap in ordinal positions, or to an incompatible sequence with low overlap, while the compatible and incompatible sequences had the same overlap in movement transitions. We observed accelerated learning in the Compatible and Incompatible groups compared to the New group, if participants trained for 3 sessions before switching to the altered sequence. Overall, our study suggests facilitative learning of implicit motor sequences that are compatible in movement transitions, if the previous sequence has been trained extensively.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00296-4
spellingShingle Susanne Dyck
Christian Klaes
Faster implicit motor sequence learning of new sequences compatible in terms of movement transitions
npj Science of Learning
title Faster implicit motor sequence learning of new sequences compatible in terms of movement transitions
title_full Faster implicit motor sequence learning of new sequences compatible in terms of movement transitions
title_fullStr Faster implicit motor sequence learning of new sequences compatible in terms of movement transitions
title_full_unstemmed Faster implicit motor sequence learning of new sequences compatible in terms of movement transitions
title_short Faster implicit motor sequence learning of new sequences compatible in terms of movement transitions
title_sort faster implicit motor sequence learning of new sequences compatible in terms of movement transitions
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-025-00296-4
work_keys_str_mv AT susannedyck fasterimplicitmotorsequencelearningofnewsequencescompatibleintermsofmovementtransitions
AT christianklaes fasterimplicitmotorsequencelearningofnewsequencescompatibleintermsofmovementtransitions